Strangler for horses.



J. L. MICHAEL.

STRANGLBR FOB HORSES.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 11, 1910.

Patented Mar. 5, 1912.

UNITED STATESPATEN T OFFICE.

JAMES L. MICHAEL, OF UPTON, WYOMING.

STRANGLER FOR HORSES.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES L. l\IICI[AEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Upton, in the county of Veston and State of \Vyoming, have invented new and useful lmprovei'l'lents in Stranglers for Horses, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of horse checking devices known as stranglers.

The primary object of the invention resides in a structure which may be employed with an ordinary bit bar and bridle and actuated to perform its choking function with a minimum of pressure on the corners of the horses mouth, thus eliminating the employment of an over-check and specially constructed bit bars to augment the strangling device and the use of which is painful to the horse even when acting normally.

With the above and other objects in view, which will more fully hereinafter appear, the present invention consists in certain novel details of construction and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and more particularly pointed out in the appended claim; it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size, and minor details of the device may be made, within the scope of the appended claim, without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing, forming part of the specification ;-The figure is a perspective View of a bridle showing my improved device applied thereto.

The cheek straps are designated by the numerals 5 and 6, the brow strap by the numeral 7 the crown strap by the numeral 8, and the throat latch by the numeral 9. Since these parts are all of well-known construction a detail description of the same need not be given.

The bit bar is designated by the numeral 10 and is of ordinary construction having at its opposite ends eyes for the reception of the rings 11. The rings 11 are of peculiar construction inasmuch as each is provided on its outer side with a substantially semicircular-shaped guide bar. The body portion of the guide bar is designated by the numeral 12 its oposite ends terminating in lateral extensions 13 which are fixedly secured at diametrically opposite points on the ring 11. \Vith this construction it will Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 11,

Patented Mar. 5, 1912.

1910. Serial No. 576,642.

be manifest that the body portion of the guide bar is spaced from the outer side of the ring. Extending through alining openings in the medial portion of the body 12 of each guide bar and in the ring is a shaft ll and loosely fitted on said shaft between the body of the guide bar and adjacent surface of the ring is a grooved sheave 15, the function of which will appear later.

Extending longitudinally of the crown strap 8 is a bracket strap 16 the bracket strap being secured at its medial portion to the crown strap and having its opposite ends free. U-shaped clips are designated by the numeral 17 and at their medial portions are provided with eyes for the reception of the opposite ends of the bracket strap 16, it being understood that the opposite ends of the said bracket strap may be secured to the eyes in any desirable manner. Extending through openings in the outer ends of the clips 17 are shafts on which are journaled pulleys 1.8.

A strangler or choke strap is designated by the numc a1 19. This strap may be of any desirable length and is trained over the pulleys of the rings 11 and clips 17. The opposite end portions of the strangler or choke strap 19 are provided with rings 20, to receive the forward end portions of the driving reins 21, the medial portion of the strap 19 extending across the throat of the horse. \Vith this construction it will be manifest that when the reins 21 are pulled the medial portion of the strap 19 will move upwardly and squeeze the animals throat.

It will be observed that even when a comparatively strong pull is exerted on the driving reins, by virtue of the employment of the common form of bit bar no injury whatever will be inflicted on the animals mouth. The device may be kept constantly in operative position as shown by full lines in Fig. 1 and when so positioned either driving rein may be pulled in the ordinary manner to direct the horse, without causing the device to squeeze the animals throat. If desired, however, the medial portion of the strap 19 may be passed over the bracket strap 16 and slidably secured in U-shaped clips 22 arranged in spaced relation on the upper surface of said bracket strap.

From the foregoing, it is evident that I have provided a device which is comparatively simple in structure and inexpensive to manufacture, embodying few parts and these so arranged that the danger of derangement will be reduced to a minimum.

I claim In combination, a pair of cheek straps and a crown strap connected thereto, rings secured to the lower ends of said cheek straps, a bit bar secured to said rings, pulleys journaled on said rings, a bracket strap positioned on the crown strap and having free ends adapted for swinging movement thereon, pulleys j ournaled on said free ends, a brow strap connected to said crown strap and a choke strap connectible to the driving reins of a harness and movable over the pulleys and connected to each other and adapted to bind against the neck of an animal when either one of the terminals of said strap is pulled.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES L. MICHAEL. Vitnesses JOHN A. DRUGAN, BENNETT S. JONES.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

. Washington, D. C. 

